Largest C-130J Formation

On Monday, July 2, a total of 16 C-130Js from the 317th Airlift Group launched the largest formation of the J-model aircraft to date. The new C-130J Super Hercules can carry 30 percent more cargo at twice the speeds of the previous H-models.

Greg Kendall-Ball/Reporter-News A C-130 J-model aircraft from the 317th Airlift Group at Dyess Air Force Base drops a palletized Humvee vehicle during the largest ever formation flight of J-model C-130s on Monday afternoon. A total of 16 aircraft took part in the formation flight and air drop.

Greg Kendall-Ball/Reporter-News Sixteen C-130 J-models from Dyess Air Force Base take part in the largest ever formation flight and air drop of J-model aircraft on Monday afternoon.

Greg Kendall-Ball/Reporter-News Joe Placencia, a civilian contractor with the 317th Operations Support Squadron at Dyess Air Force Base communicates with the pilots of the 16 C-130 J-model aircraft taking part in the largest ever formation flight and air drop by J-models on Monday afternoon.

Greg Kendall-Ball/Reporter-News A drogue parachute emerges from the cargo area of a Dyess C-130J taking part in the largest J-model formation to date. The newer J-model C-130 can haul 30 percent more cargo at twice the speed of the older H-models.

Greg Kendall-Ball/Reporter-News The drogue chute pulled the pallet bearing the Humvee out of the cargo area into the air. The load continued moving forward several hundred yards after being dropped, said ground controller Don Peters, before the winds carried the parachutes back toward the drop zone.

Greg Kendall-Ball/Reporter-News Parachutes fill the sky as one of the 16 C-130Js completes its cargo drop during a formation exercise Monday afternoon.

Greg Kendall-Ball/Reporter-News A Humvee on a cargo pallet floats suspended between two large parachutes after being dropped from the lead plane of a formation of 16 Dyess C-130Js Monday afternoon.

Greg Kendall-Ball/Reporter-News One of the parachutes carrying a Humvee collapses after the vehicle touched down at the drop zone.

Greg Kendall-Ball/Reporter-News Palletized loads of cargo land in the drop zone as the formation of C-130Js flies into the distance.

Greg Kendall-Ball/Reporter-News Don Peters, lead ground controller with the 317th Operations Support Squadron, reports to Joe Placencia the distance and direction each pallet landed from the designated target zone during an airdrop Monday afternoon.

Greg Kendall-Ball/Reporter-News A C-130J from the 317th Airlift Group at Dyess Air Force Base begins to turn to line up for landing after participating in a 16-plane formation Monday afternoon.

Greg Kendall-Ball/Reporter-News

Greg Kendall-Ball/Reporter-News A few of the hundreds of lines of parachute cord used to secure the large cargo parachutes to the pallet carrying a Humvee.